PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday ordered the relevant district returning officers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to administer oath by March 15 to the tehsil council chairmen or mayors elected in the first phase of local body polls.

ECP Deputy Director (Local Government Elections-KP) Naveedur Rehman wrote separate letters to DROs in 17 districts, who are also the deputy commissioners, asking them to make necessary arrangements for the swearing in of the successful council candidates in their respective districts.

“The lists of the mayor or chairman and members of the councils taking the oath may be forwarded to the district election commissioner concerned and all forms of the oath may be kept in record of respective council as provided under relevant rules of the KP Local Councils (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2021,” he said.

The official said under Rule 78(1) of the election law, the district returning officer should notify a schedule for administration of oath to the mayor or chairman and members of village and neighbourhood councils and make arrangements for the purpose.

For the first phase of local body elections, the ECP had mostly made deputy commissioners DROs in their respective districts.

Mayor-elect of Mardan city council Himayatullah Mayar recently moved the Peshawar High Court against long delay in the administration of oath to the newly- elected council chairmen/mayor and members, and sought orders for the purpose.

While polling for the first phase of local body elections were held on Dec 19, 2021, in 17 districts in the province, including Peshawar, the returned candidates have neither been administered oath nor have they been assigned their respective offices.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2022